Debra Oswald’s latest is a fast-paced novel, told from the first-person perspective of Zac, who is 15 and growing up in a small, rural town. Along with his friends, Zac is trying to find a place to skateboard in peace, away from the disapproval of some of the older residents. Zac’s best friend Cory comes from a very unstable family and spends a lot of time at Zac’s house. Zac’s protectiveness of his friend becomes apparent when Cory and and good girl Lauren begin to spend a lot of time together as Lauren films the skateboarders for a competition she is entering. This video is then used by the residents to convince the council to fund somewhere dedicated for them to skateboard. A tragedy completely disrupts and jars the flow of the narrative, but Oswald deals with the fallout so well that the story is taken gently to an entirely new level. Oswald tenderly deals with sudden loss and grief and how it impacts on Zac, the town and his circle of friends. At times this novel about friendship and resilience can be confronting but it is so well handled that out of the sadness, a personal journey is made all the more poignant. It is suitable for ages 12 and up.

Nicoletta Ceppellini is advertising sales manager of Bookseller+Publisher

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